@Judahonthebeats Choose Wisely Video

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Recent Fontana/Universal Music Group artist and DC Metro Area on the come up MC, Muggsy Malone a.k.a The Parkway Kid whose name stands for Motivation U Gain Grinding Surviving Yesterday has entered into a one of a kind three year agreement with International digital distributor FUHU, IncParent company of VIO Mobile in an non-exclusive agreement to distribute his ringtones and songs via the internet and cellphones worldwide. The company is in conjuction with Sony BMG, Zomba, Jive as well as computer manufacturer ACER, who is releasing a new prototype cellphone to the public sometime in the year 2010. Artist like T-Pain, Beyonce, J-Lo and Brittney Spears are also affiliates of VIO Mobile.com

“This is a really great thing for me to be offered this type of opportunity early on in my pro career like this and Im grateful for it. ” says Muggs. “This is just coming up onto the release of my street album TPK: Two Legs And Ten Toes that i’m releasing in the fall which is another milestone in my career. Its like my demo tape and now the world is going to have a chance to hear it.” As far as detractors to his slow but bubbling come up in raps major arena he said, “I’m really paving my own lane that needs not to be said. I’ve been compared to everybody from Jay-Z to Scarface to 50 Cent. I respect them to the uptmost but I do me and that’s what a man does. TPK I think is gonna set me apart from that. I think I reflect the struggle of someone coming up from nothing to something. The guy who works and sells drugs on the side just to survive. The kid that wouldn’t give up till he makes it cause people told him he couldn’t.”

Muggsy became part of music history in the DC area as the only MC to be offered a recording contract from WPGC 95.5 Myspace Mondays segment in DC which was hosted by the Flex & Rayne, when his underground classic song “Be Alright” laid behind a Timeless Beats produced sample of Johnny Gills’ “There You Go” was an introspective cut about the hardships of his come up made it to the airwaves in March of 2008. His single “Somewhere To Be At” produced by grammy winning producer Infamous has helped to earned him a respectable following on the internet and was highly touted as one of the best songs from an up and coming artist on popular website Allhiphop.com in 2008. Wale producer Judah’s website For The DMV Only , WPGC’s DJ Heat popular blogsite DC Mumbosauce , DJBooth.net and Kevin Nottingham are all dot coms that have featured TPK’s music.

Muggsy Malone’s street album TPK: Two Legs And Ten Toes features production by Kajmir Royale, Judah, Streetrunner, Infamous, Timeless Beats, The Tek, Ra Charm and DC production duo Best Kept Secret and is slated to feature Mo Betta of Topp Dogg Hill, RA The MC and the DC underground rap group Product Of The Streets and will be released this fall. The first single slated for release is called “Greatness”

My issue is the fallacy of "qualifying and validating real hip hop music in the DMV". Let's be honest, aside from guys like Judah, K. Burns, Dre, and some of the other movers and shakers in the industry from the area, no one else really has the right to validate or qualify something is real music. Let's be honest, a majority of the folks getting into this hip hop culture now, were GoGo heads about two to three, maybe even a year ago. And that's okay, if you really like gogo, that's cool. I love it, but don't fake like you know everything about hip hop just because it's cool now. Get familiar with the history. Know your roots. Know why DC has been important in the industry before "Dig Dug" came out. Know that the roots for modern R&B and hip hop came from the movement called NEW JACK SWING, which was inspired by the pocket rhythms of groups like Rare Essence. Don't just hop out there and say "I'm Hip Hop" because your mans decided to pick up a mic and where fitted jeans and a cool backpack and be "different". Be differenter. Evolution is only validated by education. Anything else is a mutation.

(July 28th, 2009)---In the days where video models and strippers get record deals, one would think an uninhibited and revealing style would emerge from these female rappers.

But they would have to be lyricists to make that type of impression, like, a true emcee.

RA the MC is bringing back rap for all those who can reproduce, birthing what hip-hop heads feel has been absent from a woman's perspective---true artistry. Now being the first female MC to grace the stage with the cast of the Generation NEXT tour, RA's musical craft along with her super persona makes for a well-rounded show on July 31st at Europa Nightclub in Brooklyn.

"It's always dope to have a female presence on any show," said RA. "I honestly try not to look at the female part at the end of the day, but I know I can probably hang with most of the male MC's."

That means rocking the stage with her DMV counter-parts, M1 Platoon, who will release they're 5th independent project "We Not Them- pt. III."

RA won't be the only woman on set. Carlitta Durand, the r&b songstress who travels with the cranking live band known as Fat Snacks, has been the only female artist thus far in a crew of nearly fifteen men.

"It hasn't been hard though, probably because I work around family." says Durand as she thinks about her tenure in the industry. "All the men that I work with, I consider family, like M1 Platoon and Phonte, Little Brother. I've been treated well...been smooth sailing," she says smilingly.

Who you work with counts for everything. With Judah, one of the best producers in the DMV and counting, supporting RA on the Strange Music label, she takes on a lot of the heat surrounding artists of her caliber...and of her gender.

"I'm competing with so many women that thinks the 'sex-sells' rap is the only way to go," says RA. "The whole stigma of just being a female rapper makes me compete even harder...."

The Secret Keepers are not your typical "Boy meets Girl" story or simply another "Hip-Hop Duo", they are a band/collective. Meet D.C. Bred musicians Ralphie. and Leo. Ralphie is a seasoned musician (i.e. Emcee, Vocalist, and Instrumentalist); who pride's herself in her lyrical prowess and unique vocal abilities, as well as, her new-age production and eclectic palette. Leo is a new, up and coming, Emcee; who is also studying and honing his skills on the Electric Guitar.

With collective influences, such as Lupe Fiasco, Feist, John Mayer, Snoop and Dr. Dre, Alanis Morrisette, Bone Thugs -n- Harmony, N.E.R.D, Q-tip, Green Day, Linkin Park, No Doubt, Common, Kanye West, Tupac, Biggie, Estelle, Chrisette Michelle, MGMT, Nirvana, The Killers, Jay-Z, Maroon 5, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, The Fray, and U2; The Secret Keepers plan to bring you back to the days of lyrical felicity in Hip-Hop. As well, they are honing their instrumental skills (Ralphie. on Keyboard/Vocals, Leo on Guitar) in order to bring you what they deem their "full package", which includes an alternative band. The Secret Keepers are trying to break down musical barriers and eliminate limitations.

The DC Native Duo are releasing their first small prerequisite project on Friday, July 31st, 2009, which is entitled "Nostalgia: The Buzztape". It features Ralphie. & Leo exercising lyrical skill over some of the illest old school beats from Hip-Hop greats, such as A Tribe called Quest, Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg, Camp Lo, and The Pharcyde. It's definitely a project that is meant to point at lyrical skill and bring Buzz to their name (i.e. The BuzzTape).

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

"For The DMV Only" is a top blog online that I use to keep up on what's hot in the DMV and the industry. If its hot and industry worthy you'll most likely see it on Judah's Blog. I'm also very pleased with the marketing and advertising services that FTDO provides for indie artist and small biz owners. Highly recomend if you want to get your buzz up - ***** 5 Star Salute!!!

Honestly it took me longer than expected to get to this tape, but Ricky Parker made it convenient for me when he gave me a physical hard copy so I put it in the car and rode out to it 5 times I give this tape a 7.5 out of a 10. Xo def came with some dope lyrics and even sung on a few records which shows he's progressing as an artist. Ab the producer def came with some mean beats for this project and he's stamping his sound slowly but surely (mind you known this youngin since he was 17 years old).

Some dope records to me were

FRNO

Timeout

Some not so dope records were

She just wanna go

Man in my city

I feel this project was somewhat quietly over showed by the sudden partnership between XO and Studio 43. The high level of curiosity was to be expected and I'm glad it somewhat lived up to that curiosity/anticipation. Both entities had buzz and following so the partnership wasn't bad at all at the end of the day.

I do think many people can agree with me on this point but the one thing that this project is missing is the soundscape (production) that help make XO one of our favorite artist. Some records just don't sound organic. And if u don't know what I'm talking revisit xo's past work (Timeless, The Takeover and Diamond District)..

The repetitious chord progression production sound on the records just kinda made it feel more like a pseudo r&b/cross over type tape. And we all know that XO kills chopped samples with ease but with passion.

The name is Renegade Q, hailing strong from the 757! Chesapeake, Virginia.I’m in the finishing process of my tape Terrible Beauty, which is a project that came momentously spurred from another project that I was working on.This tape features production from DJ Dviousmindz, Frontier, Mark Fader, Pig Pen, and Kase Munny.Shoutouts to JK Realize from Whiteboylikeshiphop.comfor the heavy support.I hope you enjoy this body of work, in efforts to contribute art and culture to Hip Hop.The first release off of this tape is Love thy Life, produced by Frontier. Enjoy!!!